Aunt Sofia And Papa Eckie
by Marymel
Summary: Jackson spends time with Sofia and Ecklie. Mild spoilers for season 14 premiere!


**Jackson is my original character, but I don't own CSI or Curious George.**

**My first new story of the year! Hope you enjoy :)**

**As I've said before, I loved the friendship between Greg and Sofia, and I really miss Sofia on the show. And I got to thinking...since Sofia was once Ecklie's right-hand CSI and is now Deputy Chief to his Sheriff, I wondered what might happen if they met again. And I wondered...since I've written three stories with Jackson and Ecklie, what might happen if Greg's son was with Ecklie when he met up with Sofia again. Here's what I came up with. Does contain mild spoilers for "The Devil And D.B. Russell." **

**Please read and review!**

After everything Morgan had been through in capturing the man who was killing prostitutes - and nearly getting killed herself - she and Greg were slowly getting back to normal. Morgan was ready to go back to work, and she wanted to prove she could still do her job. Of course, having her father as the sheriff proved a bit nagging at times, with Conrad calling every two hours to be sure she was okay. But Morgan knew she'd gotten another chance at a real relationship with her dad and he was a big part of her life.

One thing that helped things get back to normal was Morgan's adopted son Jackson. When she saw him asleep on the couch her first night home, she sobbed in relief. Seeing him curled up on the sofa, sound asleep and happily unaware of what had happened, was the perfect ending to her ordeal. And Greg made sure they talked to each other and Jackson knew they loved him very much. Jackson didn't know anything about undercover stings or why his mama was nearly killed - he just loved her and was thrilled she was back home with him and his daddy.

Morgan sat in the lobby of the crime lab waiting for Greg and Conrad to meet them for lunch. As much as she didn't have a typical relationship with her father, Morgan loved seeing him as a doting grandpa. She smiled as she watched Jackson read his book and point to the words he understood.

"Mama, what's dat one?" Jackson said as he pointed to a word.

"That is 'newspaper'. That's something that reports news for people to read."

Jackson thought for a moment. "Can dey just watch da T.V.?"

Morgan laughed softly. "Yeah, but some people like to read the newspaper, too." She smiled at the little red-haired boy she adored.

Deputy Chief Sofia Curtis came into the lobby and smiled when she saw Morgan and Jackson. Having known Morgan since she was a little girl, seeing her as a capable CSI and loving mom made her proud.

Jackson looked up and smiled when he saw his parents' friend. "Hi!"

Morgan looked and smiled when she saw Sofia. "Hey!"

"Hey!" Sofia said with a warm smile. "What are you doing here?"

"We gunna meet daddy an' Papa Eckie, so we can get lunch!" Jackson happily said.

D.B. texted Morgan and asked her to meet him in his office. She frowned slightly when she saw his message.

"What's wrong?" Sofia asked.

"Oh, Russell wants to see me. Says it's protocol before I come back to work." She looked at the happy boy reading and wondered whether she should take him to Russell's office.

Sofia sensed that Morgan didn't want Jackson to hear some of the details of what she went through. "You know what? Why don't I watch him for a little bit?"

Morgan smiled softly in relief. "You don't mind?"

"If I did, I wouldn't have offered." Smiling at Jackson, Sofia asked, "Mind if I sit with you for a while?"

"Okay!" Jackson smiled at Sofia.

Morgan smiled. "Okay, I've got to see your Uncle D.B., but I won't be long."

"Okay, Mama."

Morgan kissed Jackson's forehead and mouthed "thank you" to Sofia. She headed to her boss' office.

"Aunt Sofia, do you like Curious George?" Jackson asked as Sofia sat next to him.

"I love him. You know, those books have been around since I was a little girl."

Jackson giggled. "Curious George is funny."

Sofia smiled at the sweet child. "So, how's your mom and dad doing?"

"Mama home!" Jackson happily said.

"I know," Sofia said with a smile. "I heard that your daddy was really worried about her."

Jackson nodded. "Yeah. My daddy say dat he was scared, but my mama's okay."

Sofia smiled sadly, remembering how Greg and Morgan had both grown up but thinking of how Jim would never see his daughter again.

Jackson looked up at Sofia. "Aunt Sofia, what's 'worry' mean?"

Sofia thought for a moment. "I think it means you love someone so much, that you don't want anything bad to happen to them."

Thinking about his family, Jackson nodded. "Dat's what my daddy say. He an' Papa Eckie say dey worry about Mama. Dey didn't know if she was going to come home." He frowned and looked down.

Putting an arm around Jackson, Sofia asked," That scared you, huh?"

Jackson nodded. "Mrs. Barbara talked to Uncle D.B. An' he say dat Mama was missing. I didn't know what happen."

Sofia gently rubbed Jackson's back. "You were really scared for your mama." Jackson nodded. "I know you love your mama very much."

"An' my daddy!" Jackson insisted. "When my real mommy leabed me here, my daddy knew to take care of me."

"Yeah," Sofia said with a warm smile. "Because he loves you so much."

"An' mama loves me too. She stay wif me if I have a bad dream, an' she makes me peanut butter sammiches wif bananas! An' she an' daddy give da bestest hugs!"

Sofia smiled at the sweet, innocent child. "That's very important."

"Mm-hmm." Jackson looked away and looked back at Sofia. "Sometimes, I try to 'member my real mommy, but I really 'member my mama."

Sofia sighed quietly. Greg had told her that Jackson's mommy was a CSI that worked with the team for about a year after Warrick's death, and she got along with Nick and Greg but was confrontational with authority. And, from what Greg and Conrad had told her, Jackson's mommy left him with babysitters more than she ever cared for him herself. And Jackson practically adopted Morgan as his mom when he first met her.

"Your mama and daddy love you very, very much," Sofia told the sweet child.

Jackson nodded and smiled. "Eben when my daddy first met me, he knew to take care of me. An' he da bestest! He stay wif me if I have a bad dream, an' he gives me big hugs!" Jackson held out his arms like he was measuring something big.

Smiling, Sofia said, "That's a pretty big hug!"

"Daddy's are bigger!" Jackson said with a smile. "An' he alway say he loves me, eben if I do sumfin bad. Da udder day, I wanted to fix my breakfast, an' I spill milk all over da table. I was gunna cry, but daddy say he not mad. He help me clean it up an' den made me anudder bowl of cereal."

Sofia smiled. "Sounds like a very good daddy."

"Yeah. He alway say he loves me, an' he say dat nuffin' I eber do will make him stop loving me."

Sofia hugged Jackson. "That's because he loves you so much. He's a good daddy."

"He my daddy, an' he da bestest!"

Sofia smiled, remembering how she watched Greg grow from novice investigator to strong, capable CSI. She could see his son was so much like him, and Jackson loved his father and mama very much.

Conrad Ecklie rounded the corner and smiled when he saw Jackson chatting with Sofia. It reminded him of when Morgan was little and she would sometimes talk to the former CSI about school and other stuff. Morgan had grown up with Sofia, just like Jackson was growing up with her and Greg's CSI family.

"You've got a wonderful family," Sofia said to Jackson.

"An' you part of my family," Jackson told her. The deputy sheriff smiled and rubbed Jackson's back.

Conrad cleared his throat and Sofia looked up. "Hey, Conrad."

"Hey," he said to his former colleague. Jackson jumped off the chair and rushed to his adopted grandfather. "Hey!" Conrad said with a warm smile as he knelt down to hug Jackson.

"Mama had to go see Uncle D.B., so me an' Sofia are reading Curious George!"

"You are? Is it the one where he goes to the aquarium again?"

Jackson shook his head. "Nope. He learning to ride a bike!"

"Just like you're going to be doing before too much longer, huh?"

"Yeah!"

If you'd told Sofia Curtis eight years ago, when Conrad demoted her and sent her to work with Grissom's team before she became a detective, that Conrad Ecklie would not only have a good relationship with his daughter but he would be a doting grandpa to her son, she would have laughed in your face. But there he was in the lobby, happily chatting with Greg's son about favorite books and anything else that came to mind.

"So, where did your mama go?" Conrad asked Jackson.

"Uncle D.B.'s office. She said sumfin about coming back to work."

"Oh, I see." As much as Conrad worried for Morgan during her kidnapping, he knew she was very strong, and she'd be just fine. He was proud of the beautiful, brilliant woman she was.

Jackson took Conrad's hand and pulled him to the chair next to Sofia. "I got you sumfin!"

"You did?"

Sofia handed Jackson his backpack from the floor and the little boy rummaged through it until he pulled out a colorful drawing. "Dis for you! I drew you a lion, cause you an' me watch da movie wif lions!"

"Oh, yeah." Conrad smiled as he looked over the drawing. "This is really wonderful. Thank you." When he saw Sofia smiling at them, Conrad said, "I've got a good idea. Why don't you draw something for Sofia?"

"Yeah!" As he pulled out his paper and crayons he said, "Aunt Sofia, I gunna draw you a picture of Curious George!"

"Well, thank you," Sofia said with a warm smile.

Smiling at the grandson who completed his daughter's young family, Conrad said, "Did you know that your Aunt Sofia here used to do this with your mama?"

"You did?" Jackson said with a smile at Sofia.

"Mm-hmm," Sofia said with a nod. "Sometimes when her daddy was working late, her mommy would drop her off here. And I would sit with her and we'd talk about school and all kinds of stuff."

"And your mama liked science when she was a kid," Conrad said. "Just like you."

"Cool!" Jackson said with a big smile.

As the little boy happily colored, Sofia smiled as Conrad watched his adopted grandson. "We were just talking about Morgan," she said softly.

"I figured," Conrad said with a soft sigh. "When she told me what she wanted to do, I wanted to just keep her here. But she was adamant, insisted that she'd done sting operations with the LAPD." Conrad sighed softly and looked at his grandson, happily unaware of just how close they came to losing Morgan.

Sofia placed a supportive hand on Conrad's arm. "Well, she's always been strong."

Conrad smiled softly. "I wish I could take credit for that."

Seeing her former colleague and boss quiet and thoughtful, Sofia realized he'd truly grown with the LVPD and as a dad. Knowing he and Morgan had a second chance and that Conrad adored Jackson, Sofia smiled. "You know, Morgan still would have gone. This was something she had to do...and if it hadn't happened to her, it would have happened to someone else."

"I know," Conrad said, shaking his head. "But...when I think about Morgan nearly..." He looked at the innocent little boy next to him. Sighing softly, he said, "I wish Brass could have had a second chance with Ellie."

Sofia smiled sadly, knowing that Jim loved his daughter even though she did everything in her power to rebel. Knowing that Conrad and Morgan had a second chance while Jim and Ellie would never get another one brought sadness to everyone involved. "How are things between Morgan and Jim?"

Conrad sighed softly. "They're...healing. Jim told her he doesn't blame her or Russell for what happened. And I think getting back to work has helped."

"That's why Morgan went to Russell's office," Sofia explained. "He wanted to be sure she was ready to come back to work."

Looking at his former right-hand CSI, Conrad asked, "You know Jim pretty well. How do you think he's doing."

Sofia sighed sadly. "He's...surviving. I think...I think he knew deep down that he might lose Ellie forever. Doesn't make it hurt any less."

Jackson looked up at the adults. "Are you sad?" He asked Sofia.

"A little," she said with a nod. "But I'm also very happy that your mama's back home."

"Yeah," Conrad added. "Me too."

Jackson finished coloring and showed his drawing to Sofia. "Here Curious George!"

"Wow," Sofia said with a smile as she looked at Jackson's drawing. "I love this. And I like how you gave him a big smile."

Fidgeting in his seat, Jackson giggled. "Thank you. Uncle Jim say I why he remembers how to smile."

"He does?" Sofia asked. Jackson nodded and smiled. "That's wonderful," she told the little boy.

Morgan came back to the lobby chatting with Greg. Both had to smile when they saw the former CSIs chatting happily with Greg's son.

Jackson smiled when he saw his daddy and mama. "Dere dey are! Hi, daddy! Hi, mama!" He jumped off his chair and rushed to greet them.

Morgan smiled as Greg lifted their son into his arms. Hearing Jackson and Greg's laughs was one of the most beautiful sounds she'd ever heard.

"You guys ready for lunch?" Conrad asked.

"Yeah, can we get some sammiches?" Jackson asked.

"I think we could do that," Greg said.

Clearing his throat, Conrad asked Morgan, "How'd it go?"

Morgan smiled softly. "I can start back Monday. I'm still going to see the counselor every week, but Russell says I'm doing well."

Conrad smiled softly, proud of the woman his daughter had become.

"Hey, Sofia," Greg said with a smile.

Sofia smiled. "You've got a very smart little boy."

Greg smiled at his son. "Yeah, he's amazing."

Morgan put her arms around Greg's waist. "I don't know what I would have done without these two guys."

Greg reveled in having his son in his arms and his wife at his side. He'd never felt more blessed.

As Sofia stood up, Conrad smiled softly. "Hey, Jackson? Do you think Sofia would like to join us for lunch?"

Sofia shook her head. "Oh, you guys don't have to..."

"If it were trouble, he wouldn't have offered," Morgan said.

"Come on, Aunt Sofia," Jackson said. "I want to sit wif you an' Papa Eckie at da restaurant!"

Sofia smiled. How could she refuse an offer like that? "Okay."

"Yay!" Jackson said. He squirmed out of Greg's arms and took her hand. "Den we can sit together, an' I can have lunch wif my family!"

Everyone had to smile at Jackson, innocent and unaware of how close they came to losing Morgan. Sofia smiled as she thought about how Morgan had grown up and how far Conrad and Greg had come. Seeing Jackson chatting about lunch and wanting to read his book to his daddy made Sofia and Conrad beam with love and pride.

"Aunt Sofia, do you like sammiches?" Jackson asked.

"Sure," Sofia said with a warm smile.

"Mama, Papa Eckie say you talk to Aunt Sofia when you were a girl," Jackson said.

"I did," Morgan said, smiling softly at her dad's former colleague. "We'd talk and she helped your daddy and me to be good scientists."

"Cool!" Jackson said.

"And your daddy and mama have always been very smart," Sofia said, smiling warmly at Jackson's parents.

"Just like you," Greg said with a warm smile.

"Cool!" Jackson said, rushing into his father's arms for a big hug.

Morgan couldn't help but smile as she watched Jackson in Greg's arms, happily chatting with Sofia and Conrad. She may not be Jackson's biological mother, but to him and everyone who knew the family, she was his real mom. And Morgan reveled in just being with everyone she loved. She knew she and her family were where they belonged - together.

**The End.**


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